Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-07-21

OuVsAuC Va W.T. udbOH. AS III Iubt6IlCt
of an increase which seemed exorbit-
ant, the case of Andrew Joughin, who
owned 305 acres in the Tjera rancho il
given. Last year this land was as
sessed for $4,000, and Mr.. Mason has
raised it to $76,250. An increase ol
between eight and nine hundred per
cent in one year is considered rather
excessive. And there has evidently
been discrimination between the
large ranches, for what reason no one
knows. Take the O'Neil rancho at
Trabuco, decreased $42 900, and COM
pare it with Mrs. Bakers interest in
the Laguna rancho, increased from
$229, ,240 in 1886, to 1902 $3.50 this year.
These figures speak volumes, and
there can be no doubt but other in
stances of like character will be
found as the examination proceeds.
ARBITRARILY FIXED.
l For some reason the Assessor has
written in the margin opposite some
of the names the statement that the
parties referred to as owners of the
property had not filed with him the
statement as required by law, and this
is said to fix the assessment so that.
however unjust, it cannot be lowered
by the Supervisors, although if too
low it can be raised. Already j. II.
Burke, who seems to have been un-
justly assessed, is preparing to con-
test his assessment, and his attorney
says that as to whether he filed his
statement according to law is ques-
tion of veracity between Mr.. Burke
and the Assessor. Another assessment
arbitrarily fixed by the same means is
that of L. J. Rose, in the San Gabriel
valley, in the Rancho Santa Anita,
Familiarity known as Sunny Slope.
The land has been assessed at from
$3.50 to 5000 per acre and the improve
ments at $4,000; but the personal
property, according to the books, does
not amount to much. Thus the ELI
gines, which have always been
supposed to be equal to any in the
county are assessed at only 5000. If
they are not worth ten times that
amount they have deteriorated greatly
in very short period. Mr.. Roses
large stock Of improved machinery is
valued at only $3.50, while the farming
implements, than which no better can
be found on any other ranch in the
county, are valued at but 5000. The
absurdity of these values must forcibly
impress any person who has ever
visited Sunny Slope. OF course the
Supervisors will raise these amounts
but when it comes to placing a proper
valuation on personal property they
think the Assessor end his deputies
should have been a little more accur-
ate.
MIXED BOOKS.
Added to the above list of objection
able features to the assessment roll is
another feature which is likely to
prove source of considerable
trouble when the taxes become
due. For instance parties own
ing property in this city and
outside have been assessed for their
personal property owned in the city,
on the list for the country. 1t hap
pens that city properties will not have
to pay county taxes for school and
road purposes, and consequently the
country property will have to pay
taxes from 20 to 40 per cent. higher
than that in the city, the latter pay
ing city taxes into the city treasury.
Those owners who are, therefore,
doubly assessed will naturally object,
and in consequence carry the matter
into the courts before it is settled. In
going over the books thus far it has
also been ascertained that the Asses
sor and his deputies have not assessed
property according to school or road
districts. In some instances where
property was partly in several districts
it was assessed in but one district, and
in consequence some districts received
larger apportionment than was
their due while others received less.
This negligent manner of assessing is
causing the Supervisors great deal of
trouble, and it will take considerable
time to straighten matters out. These
are only few of the confusing meth
DDS which the brilliant County Asses
sor has used in compiling his rolls,
and before the Supervisors have fin
ished their work some more glaring
errors are likely to be found, if the
COIllIlltuCcIlltut ls W tdkeu DIS Ill HUI
cation of the future.
A CRYING SHAME.
The above prepares the way for one
of "the greatest outrages ever perpe-
trated upon this community" as was
remarked by one of the Supervisors
yesterday. What this "outrage is
can be readily seen, when it is stated
that between 100000 and
$8,O00,000 worth of property
has been assessed to "un-
known owners" The words unknown
owners" in this inatance mean "gross
negligence" of the Assessor and his
deputies. Scattered through the rolls
are pages of assessments ON property,
the owners of which the Assessor did
not take the pains to ascertain. For
instance, the well known property of
Horace Burdick, on the corner of
Spring and Second streets, is assessed
to an unknown owner" The prop
erty OF l. w. Hellman, on the corner
of Second and Fort, is assessed to un-
known owners, and the property of
John Bryson ON the corner OF Second
and Spring; p. Lalande on Spring be-
tween First and Second; Mrs. Mat
field, on Main near Commercial; the
adjoining piece onthe north side and a
large number of well known properties
on Fort, Spring, Main and Los Ange-
les streets are all placed under this
head because the Assessor and his